Using religion to prop up an exaggerated sense of nationalism perverts healthy patriotism in its attempts to solidify national identity by excluding some members of society, said an essay in an influential Jesuit journal.
“In some countries, a form of religious-cultural nationalism is back in vogue. Religion is exploited both to obtain popular support and to launch a political message that is identified with people’s loyalty and devotion to a nation,” wrote Jesuit Father Joseph Lobo of St. Joseph’s College in Bangalore, India.
Lobo’s essay, “Against Religious Nationalism,” was published in late June in La Civilta Cattolica, a Rome-based Jesuit journal reviewed by the Vatican before publication. […]
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